Prep athletes of the week: Delano's Hanson enjoying power surge for as long as it lasts

It didn’t take long for Hanson, a three-sport athlete, to name his favorite sport. “Baseball,” said the junior catcher, who is also a football quarterback and a basketball guard with over 1,000 career points.

All it takes is one look at Hanson’s offensive numbers from last week and the reason for his preference becomes obvious. He went 13-for-21 with two doubles, five home runs and 16 RBI as the Tigers won four of six games. The home runs were coming frequently enough that even Hanson, who said he had experienced stretches of power before, and his teammates were in disbelief.

“When it got to the third or fourth one this week, I just said, ‘Wow. How am I doing this?’ ” he said. “After one, my teammates didn’t even come out and congratulate me. They waited until I got back to the dugout, then they jumped all over me. That was pretty cool.”

Hanson knows baseball is a fickle game and his hot streak could end just as quickly as it started.

“That’s the way it goes,” he acknowledged. “One week, you can be hitting the cover off the ball, the next you can’t get a hit.”

The senior attacker is used to scoring goals, but last week was particularly fruitful. She scored 29 goals and eight assists in four victories, highlighted by Saturday’s 10-goal effort in a 21-20 victory over Minnetonka.

ELIN ELLEFSON

Chanhassen • softball

The junior pitched a one-hit, 2-1 victory over Farmington. In addition, she went 10-for-16 at the plate (.625) with three home runs, giving her four for the season.

JOSH GEAROU

Elk River • tennis

Gearou had his best week of singles this season, losing only four games in sweeping three Northwest Suburban matches. He topped off his week by upsetting Class 2A, No. 1 Max Olson of Edina in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3.